Car diaphragm and method of forming the same



A ril 2 1 2 P 9 H. u. MORTON CAR DIAPHRAGM AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME Filed Nov. 29. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E 1 El arr ZZ. 7/Z0mm.

1,626,048 April 1927' H. u. MORTON CAR DIAFHRAGM AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME V Filed Nov. 29. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet z Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

UNETED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY U. MORTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TC) MORTON MANUFACTURING 00., A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CAR DIAPHRAGM AND METHOD OF FORMING TIE-IE SAME.

Application filed November 29, 1926. Serial No. 151,230.

This invention relates to railway car dia phragm mute and a method of producing the same from a single strip of belting of uniform width by merely providing the strip of material with a plurality of spaced transverse folds to form a top with inclined side sections terminating in integral leg sections.

It is an objectof this invention to provide a vestibule diaphragm for railway cars and the like, said diaphragm being'constructed by merely folding a strip of material of uniform width at spaced intervals at the middle portionof the strip to form a complete diaphragm including a top with integral legs.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a car diaphragm wherein a single strip of material of uniform width is adapted to be provided with a plurality of transverse folds which are pressed to form a top having integral legs into the upper portions of which drip eaves formed by the top folds project.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved method of producing a car vestibule diaphragm by simply cutting a strip of multi-ply cotton belting to a predetermined length and uniform width. after which the strip of material is provided with 0 a plurality of transverse folds at the middle portion which folds are pounded or pressed to afford projecting eaves disposed within the channel groove of the diaphragm consisting of a top section with integral legs resulting from the peculiar folding and creasing of the strip of material.

It is furthermore an object of this invention to provide a car vestibule diaphragm of the accordion-plaited type constructed of a single strip of material of uniform-width either to form a diaphragm of either a single or a multiple fold construction, with the multiple fold diaphragms having the diaphragm' units thereof provided with stifieners Within the bight beads which integraL ly connect the diaphragm units.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a railway car vestibule diaphragm, each of the units of which are of improved simplified construction wherein a air have the upper portions integrally connected with a U-cross-sectioned top formedby providing a plurality of transverse folds which are pressed to dripped of U-cross-sectioned diaphragm legs which project into the channel grooves of said legs to shed water, cinders, and other material dropping into the top downwardly and outwardly away from the diaphragm legs which are thereby protected.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

011 the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a single unit of an improved railway car vestibule diaphragm embodying the principles of this invention.

' Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof showing the eaves in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail section taken longitudinally through the middle portion of the top section online III-Ill of Figure 1.

Figure A is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section of one of the diaphragm legs taken on line lV-IV of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section of the diaphragm top taken on line VV of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the middle portion of the diaphragm top looking upwardly on line V1-VI'of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a modified form of car diaphragm of the double fold type.

Figure 8 is an enlarged transverse section of the top of the double fold diaphragm illustrated in Figure 7.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 indicates a railway car vestibule face plate of the usual in verted U-shaped construction to which one end of an improved diaphragm unit is adapted to be rigidly secured by a suitable U- shaped metal strap or frame or other suitable means. The other side or edge of the improved ear diaphragm unit is adapted to be secured to the end of a car by any suitable retaining means. The improved car diaphragm is of accordion-plaited construction and is adapted to be made of a plurality of units each of which embodies the principles of this invention. The diaphragm may he wanna-ates cf a single fold er at 1'- multiple'folds as desired. This invention relates to a simplified method whereby a di aphragm unit may be readily constructed without sewing or cutting, except as to length. The method consists of using a single strip of multi-ply cotton belting of uniform width, said strip of material-being cut to a predetermined length after which the material is firs folded transversely at its middle portion to provide a straight line crease and an angled line crease 4 along which lines the material is folded and then creased by pounding or applying pressure to form a middle fold 5 to form a diaphragm top consisting of a pair of dcross-sectioned top sections 16 which incline downwardly and outwardly from the middle or intermediate fold 5 disposed at the apex of the diaphragm .top. The strip of material forming the diaphragm is also provided with two sets of creases positioned equi-distantly from pposite sides of the intermediate fold 5. Each of the side sets of creases comprises a straight- :line crease 7 and an angle line crease 8 which is'deeper than the angled line crease 4. The side sets of creases 7 and 8 are pressed or pounded into shape to form side folds 9. The top sections 6 and the folds and 9 cause the strip of material to assume a U- shaped cross section with the side folds 9:actingas a connecting medium between the top sections 6 and the end portions of the strip of material which .form U-cros's-sectioned parallel legs '10. The side folds 9 are so shaped that -.they project into the channel or 'Urshapedjgrooves formed by the legs 10 with said side folds adapted to serve as ,projecti'ng eaves or chutes whereby any water, cinders, or other foreign elements which may be deposited inthe trough formed by the inclined-top sections will be-permitted to run or slide downwardly out of the inclined top sections (and be directed downwardly and outwardly away from the diaphragm legs thereby protecting said legs from the action of the water.andcinders. The pitch of the top section-6 is such that material deposited in said sections will not lodge there, but will immediately be discharged by the action of gravity.

It will thus be seen that tl1e=multi-ply strip of cotton belting orother suitable material is of uniform width, cut to a predetermined lengtlnand subsequently creased and folded at its middle portion and at equal distances from opposite sides thereofto form a middle or intermediate .fold and avpair of said folds which are pressedor pounded into shape to cause the unitary strip of material to form a railway car vestibule diaphragm unitiof t z-haped or channel cross section comprising .a pair of integrally connected inclined top sections-terminating in a pair of parallel legs to form a complete one piece diaphragm with the side folds at the outer ends of said top sections projecting into the upper portions of the channel grooves of the diaphragm legs to form eaves for discharge chutes whereby water, cindersror other material which may be deposited in the top sectype adapted to have one end of the diaphragm connected to a railway vestibule face plate 1'1 bymeans of a lUshaped metal strap orfram'e'lQ-and the other'end of said diaphragm connected 'to the end of the railway c'ar by any suitable retaining means. In this construction the multiple fold diaphragi is also'constructed of a single strip of multiply cotton belting or other suitable material, said s'tripbeing of .uniform width and cut-to a predetermined length, folded longitudinally alongthe .middle to form a central bead or h'em 13 adapted to form a pocket in which a U-shaped metal stifiiening frame or brace rod 14iis adapted to be inserted. The strip of material on each side of the bead13 is creased at the middle portion and at equaldistances from said middle portion similar to the arrangement 'illustrated'anddescribed in connection with Fi ure 3,'toform an intermediate fold I5 and side folds 16, thereby shaping the material on both sides of the connecting bead 13 to form integrally connected-diaphragm units comprising channel cross-sectioned inclined top section 1'7terminating in parallel channel cross-sectioned legs '18.

It will 'thus be seen that a 'single strip of material'o'f uniform width and of a predetermined length may be creased and folded to form a railway-car vestibule dia phragm to 'form either a single fold diaphragm unit or amultiple fold diaphragm unit of one piece construction obviating stitching and the like in so far as the construction of a single fold diaphragmunit is concerned. In the'multiple fold diaphragm construction the bead or hem 13 connecting the diaphragm units and enclosing a stiffen- .ing rod or frame ofmetal may be stitched to hold the stiffening frame 14; in place, or if preferred the stiffening frame lei may be secured in the head '13 by rivets, bolts,'or any other suitable retaining means in which case the use of stitching is obviated.

I am awarethat many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied througha wide range'without departing from the principles of 'this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent ranted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as myinvention:

1.. la railway car vestibule diaphragm unit llfi constructed of a single strip of material of uniform width cut to a predetermined length and creased and folded transversely intermediate its ends to form a top with inclined top sections terminating in integral legs.

2. A railway car diaphragm constructed of a single piece of material creased and folded at intervals to form connected inclined top sections integral with a pair of leg sections.

A car diaphragm constructed of a single strip of material of uniform width folded longitudinally to afford a connecting head between diaphragm units by creasing and folding the material on each side of the bead to form a top section integrally connecting leg sections, and stiffening means within said head to afford a brace for the integrally connected diaphragm units.

4. A car diaphragm of the class described adapted to be constructed from a single strip of material of uniform width folded longitudinally to form a connecting bead, a stiffening frame in said bead, said material on opposite sides of the bead being transversely creased and folded to form an intermediate fold and end folds to shape said material on each side of the bead to afford inclined top sections integrally connected to leg sections having the side folds projecting into the leg sections to serve as dischargechutes for diverting materials deposited into the top sections outwardly away from said leg sections.

5. The method of constructing a railway car diaphragm unitv consisting of creasing a strip of material of uniform width to form transverse folds and then pressing said folds to cause the strip of material to shape itself into inclined top sections integrally connecting leg sections.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

HARRY U. MORTON. 

